


The Body Language of the Gods

by ThatPeskyAloe



Category: ENA - Joel G (Web Series)
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Language Barrier, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Puns & Word Play, Sign Language, Skateboarding, Slice of Life, Tea, Teaching, and i mean VERY headcannon heavy, canon-typical weirdness, headcannon heavy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29787879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatPeskyAloe/pseuds/ThatPeskyAloe
Summary: In which ENA is taught how to speak in the body language of the gods.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 52





	1. Language Barrier

**Author's Note:**

> before reading, take heed: Any text in **bold text** is being spoken in the body language of the gods!
> 
> Also maybe worth noting that I hc the body language of the gods as like, a fancy kind of sign language that is usually only spoken by people who are close to Runas or attendants of Runas, hence the "god" part.

It had been a day as normal as any other... though how normal that would exactly wasn't strictly quantified, and ENA wasn't sure how you would even go about calculating how normal a day like that would be- perhaps taking the sort of average normal-ness of each day in a week and then taking an average of those, or... But then, what was normal anyway?  
  
Well, this certainly wasn't. Normal, that is.  
  
In fact, she'd never seen anything quite like the odd, fancily dressed creature standing, or rather swaying before her. It was certainly an odd fashion choice and that was coming from her- she wasn't certain if that was an extra arm, or just a side effect of the blindingly bright pinstripes. What was more was that this creatures was making all sorts of gestures and wiggles. She gathered they were trying to communicate something, but what exactly was unfortunately lost on her.  
  
"Sincerest apologies, but I can't seem to understand you..."  
  
**"I'm just asking you for directions! How hard can this possibly be?"**  
  
ENA continued to look on with a confused squint, puzzled, at the strange, fancy looking being in front of her. It seemed to be getting increasingly frustrated as time went on and it didn't get a proper response, waving it's arms and posing all over the place- quite puzzling. And quite dramatic. She'd really had never seen anything quite like it, and she'd seen quite a lot by this point.  
  
"Could you not simply... talk... converse, even?"  
  
**"Absolutely not! Why should I have to dumb myself down for a worm like you? Huh? Huh?"**  
  
She watched as it continued to gesture, twirling now, still not uttering a word but seemingly getting quite angry with her lack of understanding. She shrugged and tried to copy the movements, flailing her arms similarly in some haphazard attempt at actually communicating, but the person suddenly stopped, staring her down. Than just as abruptly, it turned around and stormed off with a silent huff, stomping its feet seemingly greatly offended by something she'd done.  
  
"Oh, dear." ENA frowned. "Did I say something wrong?"  
  
\---  
  
"Hey, Moony-moon?"  
  
ENA watched as Moony performed a really quite dangerous looking trick on her skateboard from where she sat on the sidelines, kicking her legs and clapping when she stuck the landing. She'd tried skateboarding before, but it hasn't gone terribly well... So she'd resigned herself to jusy watching. For now, anyway...  
  
"What's up, I-na?" Moony ribbed. "You got questions?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, indeed I do! You're very astute today."  
  
"'Course! When am I not a state? Acetate?" Moony grinned, casually rolling over to her.  
  
ENA wagged her finger. "Astute, Moony."  
  
"Eh, potato tomato. Damn, now I'm hungry. What was your question?"  
  
"Do you know anybody who speaks, em..." She began trying to copy the movements from earlier again, most likely horribly butchering it. "In this kind of sort of way?"  
  
"Uh, what _are_ you doing?" Moony said after a beat.  
  
"I don't know!" She continued her haphazard attempt at replicating it. "I was hoping you might tell me!"  
  
"Pssh, I dunno." Moony peered closely, nearly getting smacked my a flailing hand. "Looks like you're totally messin' it up though!"  
  
"Hey!" ENA drooped. "I felt wudeness in that senwence..."  
  
She was still repeating the movements that she could remember, albeit with less energy than before as she sulked. Moony took a good, long look at them.  
  
"Looks pretty fancy schmancy to me- oh hey, that might be it!"  
  
ENA immediately perked up. "Do you know?"  
  
"Ehh, what was it called...?"  
  
"Mooony, don't get my hopes all the way up if you're gonna let me all the way down!"  
  
"Shh ENA! I'm trying to think! Jeez!"  
  
"Oh... Sowwy..."  
  
"Whatever, uh... The body language of the gods! It's some fancy stuff. Surprised you ran into someone like that... Where the heck did you see this guy, anyway?"  
  
ENA stopped to shrug. "I don't remember! It _did_ look very fancy, though! Such bright pinstripes..."  
  
"Huh. Well, I still have no idea what you were saying."  
  
"But you recognised it?"  
  
"Yeah, recognised it. Sorta. Kinda hard given how bad you were messing it up... But it's not like I actually speak it, y'know. That kinda fancy crap is usually only used by Runas' attendants and stuff. Wonder why one of em was wandering around like that..."  
  
ENA hummed in thought, bringing a hand up to her chin. Moony could recognise it but not speak it, and she couldn't do either... but she would like to be able to. It seemed implied that it was exclusive, and of course if a door was closed to her that just made her want to pry it open all the more. Her penchant for sticking her nose where it shouldn't be had gotten her in trouble before, but... Well, how much harm could just learning a language, no matter how fancy, really do?  
  
"Say, Moony?" She said, leaning forward with a curious glint in her eye.  
  
"Yeees?" Moony looked over. "Uh oh."  
  
"Uh oh? Whatever are we uh oh-ing about?  
  
"I know that look... You're totally gonna ask me something weird, right?"  
  
"Maybe, but you'll never find out what if you don't let me speak!" ENA grinned.  
  
"Ugh, fine... What?"  
  
"Do you happen to know anyone who would perhaps... Teach me this language?"  
  
"Ohh boy. I mean I know someone who speaks it, but I dunno if she's like, a teacher or whatever."  
  
"It would surely be worth asking! Won't you introduce me to her, Moony?"  
  
"I mean, I dunno..."  
  
"Pleease? I'll owe you one- no, two!"  
  
Moony looked thoughtfull. "Hmm... Make it big time."  
  
"Sure, I'll owe you big time! A reaally big time. Please?" ENA pleaded, hands clasped.  
  
"Alright, alright!" Moony relented. "We'll go try and find her tomorrow, just... Don't get your hopes up, kay? She might be like, busy or something."  
  
"Okay!"  
  
"Aaand it's kinda a trekk, so make sure you're ready for that, got it?"  
  
"Yes!" ENA was practically vibrating on the spot with excitement, undeterred. "Thank you, Moony!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Just remember- you owe me big time."


	2. Annyeong

"Whew, that was... quite the trekk Moony! You were right!"   
  
"Uh, yeah. Doing okay there?" Moony raised her eyebrow. "Lookin a little, uh..."  
  
ENA gave a thumbs up and then promptly returned to leaning on her knees, thoroughly out of breath. "I'm peachy! Apricoty even!"  
  
"You sure about that!" Moony asked incredulously.  
  
"Absolutely!" She wheezed.   
  
"Right... I'm gonna go on ahead. Follow me once you've caught your breath."  
  
ENA was going to whine about how the fact that Moony didn't have to walk the whole way was wildly unfair, but my that point she had already slipped through the door into the building they'd walked so far to get to. She sat down on the ground with a small thud and looked up at the building in front of her. It didn't look all that impressive on the outside, that was for sure- it was large, but on the whole pretty plain looking with high windows on grey walls. The most eye catching thing about it was the large red door which Moony had just gone through.   
  
Having finally caught her breath after a not insignificant length of time, ENA stood and straightened herself up. She wondered if Moony was playing a trick on her... But there was only one way to find out.   
  
She opened the door, peeking inside before entering fully. It wasn't dark, pretty averagely lit, but it still took her a moment to adjust after being in the brightness outside. She blinked, rubbing at her eyes before looking around. Most of the area seemed to be open, but dotted with all sorts of large shapes that were... Strange. Stranger than usual, if that were possible- they all looked like they had too many or too few angles, in colours that didn't quite register. She squinted at them, trying to see if they would look any less fuzzy around the edges if she looked more closely. They didn't.  
  
Walking through the room it seemed that there were quite a few of these shapes around. Not only that, but it was all suspiciously quiet. And Moony was nowhere to be seen, either...   
  
"Moony?" She called out, looking left and right, and up and down just to be certain. "Are you there?"  
  
Nary a response was heard. She had to be around somewhere, it was just a matter of where that somewhere might be...  
  
She wandered around the room, meandering between the different shapes and looking at them as she went. It was like every time she looked away, they were different when she looked back. Quite puzzling... One in particular caught her eye, in a dazzling colour she couldn't quite name, and she went over to take a closer look. She couldn't help but want to touch it, so she reached out, fingers just about to brush against it when a sudden voice made her snatch her hand back.  
  
"I wouldn't touch that if I were you!"  
 **"I wouldn't touch that if I were you!"**  
  
Startled, ENQ quickly whirled around to face the source of the voice- she hadn't heard them approach at all! Moony was there, along with someone she didn't recognize- tall, with a pole slung over their shoulders.   
  
"It might not be good for you if you touched that."  
 **"Your mind could break if you touched that."**  
  
"Jeez, ENA! I leave you for a minute and you're going around touching other peoples stuff?"  
  
"I wasn't touching!" ENA quickly put her hands behind her back. "Just looking... With my hands. What are these anyway?"  
  
"Uh, shouldn't you be introducing yourself?"  
  
"Oh! Sincerest apologies. My name is ENA, and you are...?"  
  
"Call me Merci. Moony told me about you."  
 **"Call me Merci. Moony told me about you."**  
  
"It's a pleasure!" ENA chirped. "Oh? Hold on just a moment, is that-"  
  
"The body language of the gods?" Moony grinned. "Yeah, I told you I knew someone, right? Merci said she'd teach you!"  
  
ENA clasped her hands together with a gasp. "Really? Oh, joyous day!"  
  
"Moony said you were quite eager. I hope you're commited- it isn't an easy thing to learn, you know."  
 **"Moony said you were quite eager. You'd better not go giving up when it gets hard."**  
  
"Absolutely! I'd hate to not be able to talk to someone again." ENA smiled. "To think someone so skilled was so close by..."  
  
"S'hardly close by, given how tired you were when we got here." Moony tittered.   
  
"Shush Moony!" ENA drooped. "You're wuining my first impwession!"  
  
"Welp, I'll leave you to it then. I got uh... Errands. Or something. Merci, take care of her, kay?"  
  
"You can count on it. She'll be safe with me."  
 **"You can count on it. She'll be safe with me."**  
  
"Cool. Alright, see ya ENA. Study up!"  
  
"Oh! Goodbye Moony!"   
  
"Be sure to come back soon."  
 **"Josim-haeseoga."**  
  
ENA was surprised she was leaving so soon... She thought she would hang around a little longer, but if she was busy it couldn't be helped. Must be an important errand. Moony left quickly, leaving ENA alone with Merci. She rocked on her heels, looking back at the object she'd almost touched before.   
  
"So, Miss Merci..." ENA hummed curiously. "What are these odd things?"  
  
"Oh, those? Non Euclidean sculptures. It's a hobby of mine."  
 **"Oh, those? Non Euclidean sculptures. It's a hobby of mine."**  
  
"Well, they're quite stunning! Even if I can't quite comprehend them.   
  
"Why, thank you."  
 **"Gomawo."**  
  
Merci turned away for a moment, looking over her shoulder.   
  
"You must be tired, no? Come, lets sit and talk a while."  
 **"You must be tired, no? Come, lets sit and talk a while."**  
  
"Oh, thank you! That would be much appreciated! But when do I start learning...?"  
  
"Never mind that for now. It's hard work you know, rest a while first. I'll get some tea."  
 **"Don't get ahead of yourself now. It's hard work you know, rest a while first. I'll get some tea."**  
  
ENA followed along as Merci took them over to the side of the large room, where she saw now there were some places to sit. Merci gestured to one and she gladly sat down, more tired than she'd thought. Getting up from this comfy seat was going to be tough... she kind of hoped she wouldn't have to for a while.   
  
"So what is this place, Miss Merci?" ENA asked, looking over to where it seemed that she was making tea.   
  
"Hm... My studio? My workshop? You could call it something like that. I also live here."  
 **"Hm... My studio? My workshop? You could call it something like that. I also live here."**  
  
"I see! Like a home office!" ENA exclaimed. Merci chuckled in response.   
  
"Not quite. Here, hold this."  
 **"Not quite. Think fast!"**  
  
ENA startled as something was tossed to her- she scrambled a bit to catch it before getting a good hold of it. It seemed to be the pole that had been around Merci's shoulders...   
  
"Hold onto that for me? It was getting in the way a little..."  
 **"Hold onto that for me? It was getting in the way a little..."**  
  
"Oh! Okay!" She nodded.  
  
ENA sat patiently, bouncing her leg and passing the pole from one hand to the other until Merci gently took it from her hands and replaced it with a cup of tea. She took the seat across from her, opting to just rest the pole across her lap for the moment.   
  
"Thank you very much!"  
  
"You're welcome. It's hot, so be careful."  
 **"Cheonman-eyo. It's hot, so be careful."**  
  
"So Miss Merci, you're really going to teach me to use the Body Language of the Gods?" ENA took a tiny sip to confirm that yes, it was quite hot, and set it down to cool a little first.   
  
"I promised I would to Moony- but it's really down to yourself. It isn't something you can pick up overnight. Or overday for that matter."  
 **"I promised I would to Moony- but it's really up to you. It isn't something you can pick up overday. Or overnight for that matter."**  
  
She took a sip of her tea, with her free hand drumming her fingers along the length of the pole sitting in her lap.   
  
"As I said, it's difficult. You'll need to be perseverent."  
 **"As I said, it's difficult. You'll need to be perseverent."**  
  
"Well Moony does sometimes tell me I'm stubborn! Is that close enough?"  
  
Merci laughed.   
  
"That definitely sounds like her. It will do. But you better not go giving up."  
 **"That's her sense of humour. It will do. But you better not go giving up."**  
  
"I'll do my best!" ENA chirped.   
  
They made idle chat while they drank the rest of their tea, with ENA finally complaining about how unfair it was that Moony didn't have to walk and Merci running through a few basic little words, words like tea and walk that came up often in the conversation. ENA drank her tea altogether slightly too fast, and although the conversation and the learning was all so interesting, she couldn't help feeling sleepy. Merci stood up and took her empty cup from her, and placed a hand gently on her forehead.   
  
"It was a long walk here- you're looking sleepy. Have a little nap, and we'll see about your first lesson when you wake up."  
 **"It was a long walk here- you're looking sleepy. Have a little nap, and we'll see about your first lesson when you wake up."**  
  
"Oh? Well, if that's alright..." ENA brought her knees up to her chest, resting her arms on her knees and her head on that. She yawned sleepily. "That would be quite nice."  
  
By the time Merci had sorted things away for the moment and come back, it seemed as though ENA had already fallen asleep. She shook her head slightly, a hand on her hip.   
  
"This kid... Falling asleep so quickly when there's a stranger around?"  
 **"She really has no sense of caution..."**  
  
She shrugged and slung the pole back over her shoulders. It wasn't as though it mattered too much, since she didn't have any ill intentions, but... she'd have to scold her or something later. But she'd just let her sleep for now. She got the feeling that teaching this kid was going to be fun... but also a real handful.   
  
Oh well, she'd see soon enough. for now, she just had to kill time until ENA woke up. Maybe she could work on that sculpture some more...   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> merci is fun to write since she's basically a blank slate :D I'm not sure what vibe i was going for, but i kinda like it. Anyway if you couldn't tell already this whole thing is gonna be pretty headcannon heavy lmao
> 
> Worth mentioning that the fact she'd mostly saying the same thing out loud and in the body language of the gods is probably mostly for ENAs benefit and to stop herself from getting rusty- kind of like speaking and signing at the same time while you're still getting the hang of learning sign language or teaching someone else
> 
> i feel like im over explaining this asdfghj

**Author's Note:**

> ;)))))


End file.
